Hank Greenberg vs Jim Thome: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Thome has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947 as a hitter; Jim Thome played 1991–2012 as a hitter.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
Hank Greenberg (1930–1947) and Jim Thome (1991–2012) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs; Jim Thome finished with 2,328 hits and 612 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Thome, with 612 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Jim Thome's .956.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits? Jim Thome, with 2,328 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Thome, with 1,699 to Hank Greenberg's 1,276.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Thome, with 51,664 career PIV to Hank Greenberg's 43,523.
- Who won more championships? Hank Greenberg, with 2 World Series titles to Jim Thome's 0.
Hank Greenberg
Jim Thome
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Greenberg and Jim Thome. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 14 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other one is a counting total on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded it. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 1930s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Greenberg | Jim Thome |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,394 | Leads: 2,543 |
| At-Bats | 5,193 | Leads: 8,422 |
| Runs | 1,051 | Leads: 1,583 |
| Hits | 1,628 | Leads: 2,328 |
| Doubles | 379 | Leads: 451 |
| Triples | Leads: 71 | 26 |
| Home Runs | 331 | Leads: 612 |
| RBI | 1,276 | Leads: 1,699 |
| Walks | 852 | Leads: 1,747 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 844 | 2,548 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 58 | 19 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .276 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .412 | .402 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .605 | .554 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.017 | .956 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Thome leads Hank Greenberg 51,664 to 43,523 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jim Thome played 25 seasons to Hank Greenberg's 13, while Hank Greenberg carries the higher per-season figure (3,348 to 2,067). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Hank Greenberg — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jim Thome — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Thome leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Hank Greenberg owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Thome. PIV agrees: Jim Thome grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Hank Greenberg and Jim Thome careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Hank Greenberg's ended in 1947, and Jim Thome debuted in 1991. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Hank Greenberg appeared in 1,394 games to Jim Thome's 2,543. At the plate, Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts), while Jim Thome struck out more than walked (2,548 to 1,747). In on-base percentage, Hank Greenberg holds the edge, .412 to .402.
Hank Greenberg vs Jim Thome: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Greenberg or Jim Thome?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Thome leads Hank Greenberg in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Greenberg or Jim Thome hit more home runs?
- Jim Thome, with 612 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Jim Thome's .956.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Thome, with 2,328 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.